Current Literacy issues across practice, policy and research

Literacy Today No. 37, September 2003

Comment

This special issue of Literacy Today celebrates the National Literacy Trust’s 10th anniversary. It explores not only the Trust’s involvement in literacy development over the last 10 years, but also how policy has changed across the United Kingdom.

Features

‘Read it with a Northern twang like Miss!’

The Croydon Reading Project used action research to investigate the relationship between ‘performance’ reading aloud and the teaching of reading. Lynda Graham gives examples.

Leading the way in literacy

The sharing of successful practice helps schools in their approaches to teaching and learning. Gerry Swain of the Key Stage 3 National Strategy explains how the Leading Literacy Schools initiative is providing a structured approach.

Tackling education the Welsh way

The Welsh education system is increasingly moving away from that in England. Jane Davidson, Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, explains her vision for turning Wales into ‘The Learning Country’.

Scotland builds bridges in literacy and learning

Cathrin Howells outlines the Building Bridges in Literacy initiative, a national pilot project which is working to combat the learning dip at the start of secondary school.

A city-wide approach

Belfast Education and Library Board’s literacy adviser, Eithne Mullen, describes how a cross-sector literacy forum has begun to coordinate the efforts of a wide range of partners in order to have a real and lasting impact.

Crossing pen-friend divides

Write Away is a pen-friend club that encourages communication between children and young adults with disabilities and those without. Becky Butler shares her experiences.

Audio resources for adults

Libraries put vision into action

The promotion of reading and learning is at the heart of the library service. Andrew Stevens explains how Framework for the Future, the first national public library strategy, is being put into action.

Feature: NLT 10th Anniversary

10 years to finish the job

Director Neil McClelland reflects on the Trust’s achievements in its first 10 years and how, if it is adequately resourced and focuses its work properly, it only needs 10 more years to finish the job.

How far have we come?

A timeline marking key events in early years, school and adult literacy in the past 10 years shows how much has changed since the National Literacy Trust was launched in 1993.

Research

The role of museums, archives and libraries

The Mapping the Territory research project investigated the role of museums, archives and libraries in adult basic skills work. Project manager Julia Strong reports the findings of researcher Anthony Barzey.

Assessing early literacy – in five languages

Angela Hobsbaum reports findings from the Early Literacy Assessment Project, which is working with partners in Ireland, Spain, Denmark and Slovakia to assess the literacy learning of children in their first year at school.

Biliteracy benefits

Young children gain from literacy experiences in more than one language, according to this research. Dr Charmian Kenner of Goldsmiths College, University of London, reports.

Specific language and communication difficulties

Professor Julie Dockrell and Professor Geoff Lindsay present their findings on how specific language and communication difficulties impact on the written language of key stage 2 children.

Research digest

Research on ICT; Seminar series on assessing reading; Adult literacy assessment; Abstracts; Titles.

Publications

Sound Sense: the phonics element of the NLS; Yes he Can: schools where boys write well; Children’s Writing Journals; Literacy Skills for the World of Tomorrow (PISA); and Evaluation of DCMS/Wolfson Public Libraries Challenge Fund.

Noticeboard

National Literacy Trust News

Blackwell’s makes NLT its charity of the year; New funding for Vital Link; Reading The Game launches new projects; Reading Champions celebration; Conferences.